Daniel J. Pipes

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Examples of democratically elected totalitarians.

Reader comment on item: Can Hezbollah and Hamas Be Democratic?

Submitted by John Vander Voort (United States), Mar 24, 2005 at 10:04

Why do you include only "right-wing" examples? You left out all the communists who gained and/or maintained power through "democratic" revolutions or elections. I put "right-wing" in quotations because I consider this a misnomer; all these utopians were one type of "socialist" or another, which is all "left" to me. The rhetoric has differed somewhat, but the actions and tactics of Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Castro.... have differed not a bit from those of the "right-wingers" you have listed!

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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